Television ratings for the Buick Open, won Sunday by Tiger Woods, were up 167% over last year, when the world's No. 1 golfer was sidelined because of a knee injury. . . .
Former USC quarterback Matt Cassel, wearing No. 7 for the Kansas City Chiefs, originally asked for No. 16 but was told the number had been retired in honor of Len Dawson, who asked Cassel at a recent news conference, "Now that you have signed that big contract, what would you pay to wear No. 16?" . . .
Presumably, he was kidding. . . .
In a USA Today poll asking readers if they'd welcome Brett Favre as a TV analyst, 68% said, "No, I'm sick of him." . . .
A Sporting News ranking of college football's top 10 NFL running back prospects includes four from the Pacific 10 Conference: California's Jahvid Best at No. 4, Stanford's Toby Gerhart at No. 5, Oregon's LeGarrette Blount at No. 6 and USC's Stafon Johnson at No. 10. . . .
No. 1 is Clemson's C.J. Spiller. . . .
The Rose Bowl, preparing to play host to the BCS title game for the third time, staged a clunker in 2002 (Miami's rout of Nebraska) and a classic in 2006 (Texas' squeaker over USC). . . .
Olympic silver medalist Mike Whitmarsh, whose suicide last February rocked the beach volleyball world, will be honored before Sunday's men's final at the Hermosa Beach Open. . . .
Fabrice Santoro has played pro tennis for so long that he has faced all but four of the 24 players who've been ranked No. 1 since the ATP started ranking players in 1973. . . .
He won at least once against 17 of the other 20. . . .
Former USC running back LenDale White of the Tennessee Titans credits his substantial weight loss -- he has dropped 30 pounds since last season -- to giving up tequila. . . .
White, apparently, is wasting away outside Margaritaville.
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jerome.crowe@latimes.com
* T.J. Simers is on vacation.
